Oliver snorted. “We’ve been ages already. I bet you’re regretting offering to come with me.” He eyed the tree some more, eyes bright and smile growing more excited the more he looked at it, and regretting his decision to accompany Oliver was the farthest thing from Ed’s mind.
“Nope.” He shook his head, following Oliver’s path as he walked around the tree again to view it from all angles. “It’s been good to get out in the fresh air.”
Oliver cast him a doubtful look.”
“I’m serious.” He wasn’t lying. The sky was a cloudless winter blue, the crisp air pinking their cheeks and noses, and watching Oliver choose the perfect tree for Betty had warmed his heart more than he’d ever expected. Far from wanting it to be over, Ed could stay out here all day. “Take all the time you want.”
Coming to a stop next to him, Oliver put a gloved hand on his shoulder. “Thank you. For doing this,” he added. “I know I’m being super picky, but I just want it to be...” His gaze swung from the tree to meet Ed’s.
“Perfect,” Ed finished off for him. “I get it.” Not that he was about to admit it, but being here, looking at all the trees, was making him rethink his stance in not having one. All his reasons for not getting one seemed a bit... silly, for want of a better word.
It wasn’t Christmas without a tree.
Maybe it’s not the fact that the bungalow doesn’t feel like your home.
Maybe you’re scared that it’s starting to.
“Right.” Oliver clapped his hands, startling Ed out of his thoughts. “Definitely this one. Let’s go pay.”
Between them, they wrangled the tree to the netting stations after having it cut down, then Oliver went over to the kiosk while Ed waited for it to be wrapped. Alone with his thoughts again, his mind kept wandering back to the bungalow.
With the decorating well under way, it no longer felt like Elise’s old house. Gone were the old-fashioned kitchen and bathroom, the tired wallpaper and paint. Instead the place looked fresh, welcoming. Like a home.
But not my home, he reminded himself.
When the tree was trussed up and ready for the van, Ed shuffled it to one side and waited for Oliver to finish paying. From this distance, he had no chance of hearing what the guy at the till had said, but whatever it was had Oliver laughing, eyes crinkling in a way that said it was genuine and not just to be polite. When the guy fished something out of his pocket, Ed strained to see what he was doing.
When he handed Oliver a slip of paper with a grin, Ed realised it must have been a pen.
And he’d just given Oliver his number by the looks of things.
Jealousy, hot and bright, flared in his chest, and he fought to keep it from showing as Oliver walked back over to him, shoving the paper in his pocket as he reached Ed.
“All right?”
Judging by the slight frown Oliver wore, Ed wasn’t doing a good job of acting normal.
Fuck it.
“Did that guy just give you his number?” Hopefully he’d kept his tone light and curious instead of accusatory. It wasn’t Oliver’s fault he felt like this.
And it’s also none of your business.
Oliver’s frown turned into raised eyebrows, and Ed wanted to bite his own tongue off.
“Sorry,” he added quickly. “Forget I asked.” He tipped the top of the tree towards Oliver, grabbing the bottom when he took it. “Let’s get this to the van.”
Oliver took the weight at his end, and together they carried it back to where Aiden was parked.
In a silence that wasn’t exactly awkward.
But kind of.
Of course, Aiden and Sarah were waiting for them when they got there.
“And you thought I was the one who’d take ages.” She shook her head, laughing at them as they set the tree down while Aiden opened up the back.
Oliver held his hands up in apology. “Sorry. That was totally my fault.”
